1 to 500 scale

Thank you to those who’ve emailed thoughts about the name change. More observant readers will notice I’ve done sod all about it yet. I’m still thinking, OK? On the matter of comments I plan to open posts up where I have something to say that people might fancy discussing, as opposed to just announcements and pontifications. It’s borderline whether this post qualifies, but I’m going to give it a try anyway, though with moderation switched on so I can check the spam-to-message ratio. That’ll also give anyone who fancies it a last chance to suggest names for this blog.

As expected, my attempt to keep my word-count up during November was derailed by the copy-edits for Guardians of Paradise. I had planned to start setting word-count targets for Bringer of Light from December the 1st, as I’ve found that’s the best way to get through the painful first draft stage. However, all I have so far are disordered notes. Lots of disordered notes. The novel feels, if I may use a slightly scatological image, like it’s still building, and isn’t ready to burst forth yet. 

In some ways that’s for the best; the pitch I sold it on is rather ambitious, and turning those 200 words of drama! angst! and weirdness! into a 100,000 novel is likely to be quite a challenge. I should probably try and practice ‘plotting the Powers way’, and do detailed outlines, not to mention full research, before I launch in. However, if my previous performance is anything to go by I’ll just keep accumulating, and occasionally sorting, those notes until I’m fairly sure where to start the story and then as soon as my subconscious delivers up an opening line, I’ll be off.

7 Responses to 1 to 500 scale

  1. brobof 2 December 2009 at 8:31 pm #

    Testing Testing (Phffft) One, Two, Tew, Tew, Free…

    I think you have named it yourself: “Disordered Notes”. I might be tempted to tweak it to be: “Disordered Materials” being a term for amorphous solids. Glass, etc.
    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amorphous_solid

    However there is a blog called http://blog.disorderedmatter.eu/

    Just a thot!

    • Jaine Fenn 3 December 2009 at 8:14 am #

      ‘Disordered Notes’ … I quite like that.

  2. Joel 3 December 2009 at 12:21 am #

    Spam Spam Spam

    I just had to. Now get back to building up, I want a novel to spray forth. I’ll stop there my mind is charging to places best left untyped…

  3. Jaine Fenn 3 December 2009 at 8:25 am #

    Oh, matron!

  4. cDave 3 December 2009 at 3:01 pm #

    Pulling quotes from a couple of earlier post:

    “Being a weirdo who enjoys rewriting”
    “a completed book is just the start”
    “a certain cognitive dissonance”
    “in my garret anyway”
    “‘to tell stories’, but that’s just me”
    “… but that’s another story”
    “I am a notorious hater of first drafts”
    “only another 400 words until the next chocolate break”

    Oh, and I’m not entering an email address. It looks like spambots could find it.

  5. Jaine Fenn 3 December 2009 at 6:29 pm #

    Thanks for the quotes.

    And for the advice re: not putting in an email address. I can be rather naive about these things. I’ll advise others not to put their emails in when they reply.

  6. Suzanne Mcleod 4 December 2009 at 5:21 pm #

    ‘The Missing Palm Tree’ . . . only kidding 🙂 *waves* and passes some *spam* *g*

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